We give our children a multivitamin from the time they are little as an insurance policy for good health. As we age, it is easy to forget the importance of making sure our bodies are getting all that they need to preserve and enhance function as we age. There are so many nutrients that our bodies need that it is almost impossible to get all of them even through the cleanest diets. Here are a few reasons that taking a good multi can make a difference as we age.
- Sub-Nutritious Food – Unfortunately, the food we eat (organic or not) is as nutritious as it used to be. It is very difficult in our toxic world to recreate soil that gives our foods the nutrient value it needs. In addition, our ancestors ate a much greater variety of foods than we have access to in modern grocery stores. Because what we truly need to ward off disease is not even truly available solely through foods, it is important to supplement with a multi to fill in the gaps.
- Grains are an anti-nutrient – Because we eat diets that are often high in grains, our bodies don’t absorb as many nutrients as they should. Grains are high in phylates which can block the absorption of minerals like iron, zinc, magnesium, and calcium.
- Gut Health – Overall health is directly related to gut health. Gut health is dependent on a variety of nutrients to promote proper bacterial population as well as gut wall health. Because our gut affects so many other functions in the body, it is important that we put all of the nutrients possible toward keeping our “second brain” healthy and functioning properly.
- Decreased Inflammation – The standard American diet is high in foods that are inflammatory which depletes our nutrient stores. Adding in highly bioavailable multivitamins can go a long way toward putting back what our typical diet has pulled out. Even a little bit of gastrointestinal inflammation can pull deplete nutrient stores, so taking a good mult is like balancing out the scales.
The quality of your multi matters, and this is not one area that saving money is a good idea. Most supplement companies choose the cheapest, least bioavailable form of each vitamin in their supplements, so it is vitally important that you choose a brand that is verified for quality and bioavailability. Here are my favorite multivitamins:
- Twice Daily Multi – Designs for Health
- Multi T/D – Pure Encapsulations
- Pure Encapsulations – Calcium with D-3 This one is not a muti but should be added to any multi regimen
If you have children, PLEASE do not give them gummy vitamins or Flintstones. Gummy vitamins are full of artificial colors and sweeteners which negate any minor nutritional benefit of the vitamins themselves, and Flintstones contain aspartame which is a known carcinogen.
STEP(S) FOR THIS WEEK:
- Nothing replaces good nutrition, but taking a good multivitamin is a way to fill in the gaps for even the best of eaters. Remember that the best diet is one that includes at least 50% vegetables at every meal and includes a variety of proteins and healthy fats. Keep grains and sugars to a minimum and drink 1/2 of your body weight in ounces of water. Stick with the basics and add in a multivitamin if you are not already doing so.